Review of Jindabyne (2006) by Todd Y — 06 Dec 2006

How do you follow up one of the most critically acclaimed Australian films of the last decade? That's what Ray Lawrence had to do after the huge success of his first effort, Lantana. I haven't seen Lantana but judging by this one I should really go see this. The movie follows a small town community and the effect that a dead body has on them. Four guys go out fishing and find the body but then in a bizarre turn of events they decide to leave the body and go fishing before reporting it to the police. When they get back to the town everything goes mental with no-one seemingly able to understand why they did. The movie isn't really about why she was killed or whether they are going to catch the killer, it's about the effects of the experience on the men and how it is the catalyst that fractures many simmering holes that have been just below the surface of their relationships. It is movies like these that remind me how much I love dramas, the script gives actors so much more room to move - both Gabriel Byrne and Laura Linney are amazing - in fact, come to think of it I am ye tto see Laura Linney drop the ball on any movie I have seen her in, truly one of the finest actors of her generation.

The director has a real knack for creating an atmosphere and sense of place, a feeling that out there on the river it's mysterious nature has a sense of power over you, enough to change you forever. The scenery is breathtaking too and only goes to heighten the majesty and strangeness of the place.

Definately recommend, best Australian movie I have seen in ages and one of the best of 06'. It is a little slow, but a movie like this deserves (and needs) to be told at a slower place. So unless you have the attention span of a fly then go see it.